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United States of America v. Brent Ouellette
Date: 04-20-2026
Case Number: 2:25-cr-00099
Judge: Stacey D. Neumann
Court: United States District Court for the District of Maine (Cumberland County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office in Portland
Defendant's Attorney: Ronald Bourget
Description:
Portland, Maine, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with cyberstalking.
Brent Ouellette, 34, engaged in a course of conduct against his victim that included posting sexually explicit videos or pictures of his victim online without consent, contacting his victim posing as other people, and obtaining his victim’s social media login information.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Cyberstalking is the use of the internet, email, or electronic devices to persistently harass, threaten, or intimidate an individual, causing substantial emotional distress or fear for safety. Common signs include relentless, unwanted messages, stalking via social media (liking old posts), GPS tracking, doxing, and, crucially, making threats. It is a criminal offense, often handled under state stalking laws and federal statutes.
Key Signs and Methods of Cyberstalking
Persistent Unwanted Contact: Repeated, unwanted messages via email, social media, WhatsApp, or text.
Monitoring and Surveillance: Using tracking software, spyware, or geolocating features to monitor a victim's whereabouts.
Impersonation and Defamation: Creating fake accounts to interact with the victim, their family, or coworkers, or spreading false information and compromising images.
Doxing: Researching and publicly posting private, sensitive information like home addresses or phone numbers.
Threats and Blackmail: Sending threatening emails or using sensitive information for extortion.
Legal Status and Penalties
Criminal Offense: Cyberstalking is a crime in all 50 US states.
Federal Crime: Under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005, it is a federal crime involving the use of electronic communication to cause severe fear or distress.
Punishment: Offenders can face up to five years in federal prison and, in severe cases, life imprisonment.
State Law: State laws often define it as a “credible threat” to safety, punishable by jail time or fines.
Protection and Action Steps
Document Everything: Keep detailed records, including screenshots of messages, emails, and posts.
Secure Accounts: Change passwords, use two-factor authentication, and check privacy settings on social media.
Report the Activity: Report to the social media platform, local law enforcement, or the FBI.
Limit Online Presence: Remove personal info from the web and avoid posting about your location or daily routine.
Cyberstalking often arises in situations involving divorce, child custody disputes, or, commonly, after the breakup of a relationship.
If you are a victim, consider contacting the VictimConnect Resource Center for assistance.
Cyberstalking — FBI
Cyberstalking is a federal crime that falls under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. It's defined as using an interactive com...
Federal Bureau of Investigation (.gov)
Cyberstalking | eSafety Commissioner
Set strong passcodes and passwords. Protect your personal identity information like your full name, home address, phone numbers, d...
eSafety Commissioner
Cyberstalking - Cyberbullying Research Center
harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her saf...
Cyberbullying Research Center
What to do if you are being stalked - The Cyber Helpline
Alert those around you - Don't hesitate to tell those around you if it is safe to. They will be able to provide you with support a...
The Cyber Helpline
Abuse Using Technology: Cyberstalking and Online Harassment
It can happen in lots of different situations - for example: * on dating apps or websites; * on social media; * over text, WhatsAp...
WomensLaw.org
Cybercrime Module 12 Key Issues:
Cyberstalking and Cyberharassment
Offenders can also impersonate victims by creating accounts with similar names and, by making use of existing images of the victim...
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Cyberstalking Laws in California | Penal Code 646.9 PC
Brent Ouellette, 34, engaged in a course of conduct against his victim that included posting sexually explicit videos or pictures of his victim online without consent, contacting his victim posing as other people, and obtaining his victim’s social media login information.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Cyberstalking is the use of the internet, email, or electronic devices to persistently harass, threaten, or intimidate an individual, causing substantial emotional distress or fear for safety. Common signs include relentless, unwanted messages, stalking via social media (liking old posts), GPS tracking, doxing, and, crucially, making threats. It is a criminal offense, often handled under state stalking laws and federal statutes.
Key Signs and Methods of Cyberstalking
Persistent Unwanted Contact: Repeated, unwanted messages via email, social media, WhatsApp, or text.
Monitoring and Surveillance: Using tracking software, spyware, or geolocating features to monitor a victim's whereabouts.
Impersonation and Defamation: Creating fake accounts to interact with the victim, their family, or coworkers, or spreading false information and compromising images.
Doxing: Researching and publicly posting private, sensitive information like home addresses or phone numbers.
Threats and Blackmail: Sending threatening emails or using sensitive information for extortion.
Legal Status and Penalties
Criminal Offense: Cyberstalking is a crime in all 50 US states.
Federal Crime: Under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005, it is a federal crime involving the use of electronic communication to cause severe fear or distress.
Punishment: Offenders can face up to five years in federal prison and, in severe cases, life imprisonment.
State Law: State laws often define it as a “credible threat” to safety, punishable by jail time or fines.
Protection and Action Steps
Document Everything: Keep detailed records, including screenshots of messages, emails, and posts.
Secure Accounts: Change passwords, use two-factor authentication, and check privacy settings on social media.
Report the Activity: Report to the social media platform, local law enforcement, or the FBI.
Limit Online Presence: Remove personal info from the web and avoid posting about your location or daily routine.
Cyberstalking often arises in situations involving divorce, child custody disputes, or, commonly, after the breakup of a relationship.
If you are a victim, consider contacting the VictimConnect Resource Center for assistance.
Cyberstalking — FBI
Cyberstalking is a federal crime that falls under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. It's defined as using an interactive com...
Federal Bureau of Investigation (.gov)
Cyberstalking | eSafety Commissioner
Set strong passcodes and passwords. Protect your personal identity information like your full name, home address, phone numbers, d...
eSafety Commissioner
Cyberstalking - Cyberbullying Research Center
harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her saf...
Cyberbullying Research Center
What to do if you are being stalked - The Cyber Helpline
Alert those around you - Don't hesitate to tell those around you if it is safe to. They will be able to provide you with support a...
The Cyber Helpline
Abuse Using Technology: Cyberstalking and Online Harassment
It can happen in lots of different situations - for example: * on dating apps or websites; * on social media; * over text, WhatsAp...
WomensLaw.org
Cybercrime Module 12 Key Issues:
Cyberstalking and Cyberharassment
Offenders can also impersonate victims by creating accounts with similar names and, by making use of existing images of the victim...
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Cyberstalking Laws in California | Penal Code 646.9 PC
Outcome:
The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; $100 special assessment.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
About This Case
What was the outcome of United States of America v. Brent Ouellette?
The outcome was: The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; $100 special assessment.
Which court heard United States of America v. Brent Ouellette?
This case was heard in United States District Court for the District of Maine (Cumberland County), ME. The presiding judge was Stacey D. Neumann.
Who were the attorneys in United States of America v. Brent Ouellette?
Plaintiff's attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office in Portland. Defendant's attorney: Ronald Bourget.
When was United States of America v. Brent Ouellette decided?
This case was decided on April 20, 2026.